Kettlebell workout?

[DrTobiasFunke]

I'm looking to mix things up with my workout routine (now I mostly walk 5-6 days a week and lift dumbbells 3x a week). I'm thinking about swapping kettlebell workouts for the dumbbell work that I am doing now. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good kettlebell workout or comments on the value of kettlebell training in general? I have read positive things on Pavel Tstatsouline's DVD which details how to do the basic exercises, but I am not sure what a good beginner workout should look like or if I am looking in the right direction.

[BossaGator]

I'm a huge fan and generally work out with kettlebells at least once or twice a week. Learn the movements first with relatively light weights, and once you have the form down you can string them together in complexes. My KB work generally consists of complexes or 1-2 movements as part of a multi-exercise circuit.

Others may know more than me about getting started, but I started with 2-hand swings and turkish get ups. Then added cleans, snatches, high pulls, etc. Essentially you can do just about everything you could do with a dumbell, but the uneven load works certain support muscles more intensely and allows a more ballistic workout as you can transition from hand to hand, etc. while constantly moving.

Lots of good internet resources out there. My only real recommendation would be to work on single movements and get form down before working on complexes as the constant movement involved in a complex can hurt you if you don't control the weight and maintain good form.

KBs will work more muscles at a time than dumbells in my experience. Your forearms, core muscles in general, lower back in particular, and shoulders will get quite a workout.

[deviation]

Personally i wouldn't swap them out completely. Just mix them in together.

With kettlebells i do these exercises.

Lying incline tricep extensions
Concentration curls
Clean and press
Reverse curls
Tricep kickbacks

Personally i've always liked dumbbells alot more, just so much more you can do with them but adding kettlebells in there does mix it up which is great.

Another thing i love to throw is in resistance bands. I use them like a dropset. There are so many places you can strap a band to also. I also use them for warmups too.

Examples.

Doing a bench press, right after that put a band around a poll then press the 2 handles outwards like a standing press.

Doing bicep curls, do dumbbells than do curls with the band while standing on the band.

Doing tricep extensions with DBs or cable then strap a band to a poll and do tricep pulldowns and extensions with the bands.

With the bands i go to failure and usually push out as many reps as fast as i can. I use them to just force more blood into the muscle. Really gives good pumps.

Back to the kettlebell, there was a recent article in the "Flex" magazine about a kettlebell workout. Showed quite a few exercises and breaks it down for you. I think that was the magazine.

[StrangeGator]

My gym recently invested in a huge assortment of kettle balls. I do kettle ball swings in my Tabata routine. Aside than that, I have no idea what to do with them. Thought about getting a set for my wife since they make more attractive bookends than dumbbells.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by StrangeGator

My gym recently invested in a huge assortment of kettle balls. I do kettle ball swings in my Tabata routine. Aside than that, I have no idea what to do with them. Thought about getting a set for my wife since they make more attractive bookends than dumbbells.

Damn dumbbells won't stop rolling.

[DrTobiasFunke]

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it.

[mogator]

Look at Mymadmethods.com and mikemahler.com for some great kettelbell routines and info. I mainly do bells now. I love the versatility and the fact that you work much more than one muscle group while using them. I was a gym rat for 22 yrs. before switching. I have bells a bench with 400lbs in weight, 500lb tractor tire, 20lb sledge hammer and a pull up bar. I'm stronger and in better shape now than when I was 25. My bench may not be quite what is was though. LOL.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by mogator

Look at Mymadmethods.com and mikemahler.com for some great kettelbell routines and info. I mainly do bells now. I love the versatility and the fact that you work much more than one muscle group while using them. I was a gym rat for 22 yrs. before switching. I have bells a bench with 400lbs in weight, 500lb tractor tire, 20lb sledge hammer and a pull up bar. I'm stronger and in better shape now than when I was 25. My bench may not be quite what is was though. LOL.

Bench press is overrated anyway. You're probably set unless a car falls on you, unless the car weighs more than you can bench press.

[deviation]

Originally Posted by Dreamliner

Bench press is overrated anyway. You're probably set unless a car falls on you, unless the car weighs more than you can bench press.

Bench press is far far far from being over-rated. When i say bench press i'm talking benching dumbbells, smith machine bench press, barbell bench press.

If you are looking to build some mass, the bench is the way to go. Of course you have hammer strength and cybex machines that are great also.

Use the bench for your heavy presses then cables for isolation. SO many different variations you can do on the bench. You are never restricted to a certain motion on a bench.


I guess if you aren't trying to gain muscle and more into losing weight and getting lean, then maybe the bench press is over-rated to you.

I'm determined to get 315 up 6 times before the end of the year. I'm at 225 @ 10 reps and 100 lb dbells @ 10 reps.

Then there is alot of tricep moves you can do on the bench with the barbell.

Close grip skull crushers, wide grip crushers, reverse grip bench press for triceps, close grip bench press normal grip and reverse grip.


If anything is over-rated, it's the decline bench press. That is all.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by deviation

Bench press is far far far from being over-rated. When i say bench press i'm talking benching dumbbells, smith machine bench press, barbell bench press.

If you are looking to build some mass, the bench is the way to go. Of course you have hammer strength and cybex machines that are great also.

Use the bench for your heavy presses then cables for isolation. SO many different variations you can do on the bench. You are never restricted to a certain motion on a bench.


I guess if you aren't trying to gain muscle and more into losing weight and getting lean, then maybe the bench press is over-rated to you.

I'm determined to get 315 up 6 times before the end of the year. I'm at 225 @ 10 reps and 100 lb dbells @ 10 reps.

Then there is alot of tricep moves you can do on the bench with the barbell.

Close grip skull crushers, wide grip crushers, reverse grip bench press for triceps, close grip bench press normal grip and reverse grip.


If anything is over-rated, it's the decline bench press. That is all.

I disagree. Bench press, aside from being a non-essential exercise, is only one way of building mass. This is just more bro-dogma. You can build mass with dumbbells, dips and pushup variations. Indeed, some strength and conditioning coaches would argue that high-frequency pushups are the best strategy for pec hypertrophy.

Do bench press if you like, but keep it in perspective.

[deviation]

Using Dumbbells on a bench and pressing them is still called the "bench press". Just like i said in my above post.

Who wants to spend hours doing pushups? Yes pushups are great, i mix them in with supersets, i do 4 ball and 3 ball pushups, and pushups to failure most often at the end. But at the end of the day you aren't pushing the weight that you can on the bench.

Why would you even bring up dips for? That hits the lower chest and tris (mostly). So basically it's not much of a chest building exercise. You can hit the lower chest on a flat bench press, db or bb.

Reason why incline bench press is so great because it hits the upper and middle parts of the chest. Others will argue but doing a flat bench press will hit the entire chest. Decline bench... only lower.

Don't do bench press if you like, but any bodybuilder will tell you if you want to chisel the chest or add mass to it. Don't skip the bench press. Dumbbells, Barbell, Hammerstrength, Cybex, Plate loaded or what ever version you may run into.

Picture of my chest. Granted still have some work to do, but during this cut it will come into better shape. As i lose 5% more bf.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by deviation

Using Dumbbells on a bench and pressing them is still called the "bench press". Just like i said in my above post.

Who wants to spend hours doing pushups? Yes pushups are great, i mix them in with supersets, i do 4 ball and 3 ball pushups, and pushups to failure most often at the end. But at the end of the day you aren't pushing the weight that you can on the bench.

Why would you even bring up dips for? That hits the lower chest and tris (mostly). So basically it's not much of a chest building exercise. You can hit the lower chest on a flat bench press, db or bb.

Reason why incline bench press is so great because it hits the upper and middle parts of the chest. Others will argue but doing a flat bench press will hit the entire chest. Decline bench... only lower.

Don't do bench press if you like, but any bodybuilder will tell you if you want to chisel the chest or add mass to it. Don't skip the bench press. Dumbbells, Barbell, Hammerstrength, Cybex, Plate loaded or what ever version you may run into.

Picture of my chest. Granted still have some work to do, but during this cut it will come into better shape. As i lose 5% more bf.

Yes, but typically when we say 'bench press' barbell bench press is in view.

And who said you have to do hours of pushups for hypertrophy or strnegth ? It's a phony argument. They do not require any more time than, say, a barbell bench press, owing to set-up requirements and such.

Finally, you do have impressive pecs. But it is a mistake to presume that there is only one way to get them. Hell, some people have impressive pecs and work out very little.

[bakaduin]

Am I the only one who sees guys in the gym doing the between the legs kettlebell swing (name?) and thinking that would suck to smack yourself in the nuts?

[LeafUF]

90% chance you can find that on youtube.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by bakaduin

Am I the only one who sees guys in the gym doing the between the legs kettlebell swing (name?) and thinking that would suck to smack yourself in the nuts?

You're actually supposed to 'attack the crotch.' Seriously, drive the forearms into the crotch. It would be hard to smack your nuts, I'd think, because you'd actually have to lift the bell upward as you swing down.

[bakaduin]

Originally Posted by Dreamliner

You're actually supposed to 'attack the crotch.' Seriously, drive the forearms into the crotch. It would be hard to smack your nuts, I'd think, because you'd actually have to lift the bell upward as you swing down.

Geeze even if you hit yourself with your swinging forearms I don't think it would be enjoyable!

[BossaGator]

When the swing reaches bottom you're supposed to catch it by bending your knees and pulling your hips back, and then provide upward & outward momentum by violently driving your hips forward and propelling the load upward and forward. So really your forearms will stop on the inside of your thighs before any nut smacking.

There's a lot in that post that could seem a bit raunchy if taken out of context.